


Honey and Haycorns.

by LadyWinnelynPooh



Series: Winnie-the-Pooh historical human aus [1]
Category: Alice in Wonderland (1951), Winnie-the-Pooh (Disney)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Phantom of the Opera Fusion, F/M, Piglet's first name is Johanna, Pooh and Christopher Robin are brothers, Roo is female, other disney movies feature, piglet is female, some of the characters are named after their actors, think the webber version but with Philippe and Sorelli
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24901105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyWinnelynPooh/pseuds/LadyWinnelynPooh
Summary: ''Johanna Piglet, where is your green scarf? ''She looks up curiously. ''Sir?''The golden-haired young man looks worried. ''Oh, bother, you can't have lost it. Not after all the trouble I took.''''Why, Pooh, it is you!''
Relationships: Alice (Alice in Wonderland)/Christopher Robin (Winnie-the-Pooh), Christopher Robin & Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet & Roo, Piglet/Winnie-the-Pooh
Series: Winnie-the-Pooh historical human aus [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801843
Kudos: 4





	1. Rehearsal

''Johanna Piglet, you're late.'' Madame Kanga scolds. 

She ducks her head, blushes. ''I'm sorry.'' Then she slips into the formation, next to her best friend, Madame Kanga's daughter, Nikiya, named after the heroine in La Bayadere.

''Where were you?'' Nikiya whispers. 

''Praying in the chapel.'' Johanna replies. They move in time to the music, slow and sensual, appropriate to the opera, _Aladdin_ . When the dance finishes, Mr Owl stops the rehearsal, and says he has an announcement to make.

''Announcement or a lecture?'' Nikiya wonders out loud to Johanna. They giggle, both knowing that when the manager talks, he does not stop talking for at least two hours.

''I am to be resigning.'' he says. Well, this is new. ''Before I leave, I would like to introduce the new managers who shall be running the opera-house, Mr Rabbit and Mr Tigger.''

Two men soon stride through the doors, walk up the stairs, and walk onto the stage. Some of the older ballerinas laugh, and wave hello.

''We are delighted to be here.'' the taller one says. ''I am Mr Rabbit. We look forward to managing this place, and we hope that everything will be in order from now on. If it is not, then we shall make it so.'' Mr Tigger, meanwhile, waves back at the ballerinas, and cheerfully imitates Mr Rabbit until the other man glares at him, frowning.

''Miss Liddell.'' Alice Liddell, the prima ballerina is introduced, and she curtsies gracefully, then takes a step back.

''Signora Hearts, our leading lady for twelve seasons.'' Signora Hearts steps up, and the managers kiss her hand, one at a time. ''Of course, of course.'' Mr Tigger says cheerfully. ''I've watched every single one of your performances. The Regiment's Daughter- that was wonderful!'' The soprano looks pleased, which is good. Her husband introduces himself, but a sharp nod from his wife makes him step back. ''I wonder, if you would be so pleased, you would perform a private rendition of that lovely aria from Act 3 of tonight's opera, would you not?''

''Oh, of course!'' Signora Hearts exclaims in delight. ''As my manager commands.''

''Two bars of the song will be quite sufficient, I should think.'' Mr Rabbit says, sternly. Signora Hearts strides to the center of the stage, takes a deep breath, and begins to sing as the conductor conducts the orchestra. 

Her voice is beautiful, but it is too practiced, not real enough.

Mr Tigger smiles while Mr Rabbit frowns. 

And then, a backdrop comes loose, and drops upon the soprano. 

''It's the Skullasaurus!'' Nikiya screams. When she screams, everyone does, except the managers, Miss Liddell, and Signora Hearts. Johanna herself curls up and hides in the corner. 

''Someone stop this panic! It's absolutely batty, and completely ridiculous!'' Mr Rabbit complains. Madame Kanga bangs her stick on the floor, and everyone stops. 

''There, there, girls. It's all over.'' she reassures. The girls stop. A letter has fallen to the floor, and she picks it up, taking it to the managers.

''I don't understand all this balderdash.'' Mr Rabbit complains. Madame Kanga gives a cough, and the new managers turn to her. ''Yes?''

''I have a message, sir, from the Skullasaurus. He welcomes you to his opera-house.''

''Oh, of all the things. His opera-house.'' Mr Rabbit grumbles.

''Why, that's very nice of him.'' Mr Tigger says cheerfully.

''He hopes that you will leave Box Five empty for him, and he reminds you that his salary is due.'' Madame Kanga finishes.

Mr Rabbit looks furious, Johanna can see as she rises, standing up. ''His salary? His salary?''

''Why, Mr Owl paid him 20,000 francs a month. You could afford more, I should think, with the Bear brothers as your patrons. They will be attending, will they not?''

''Indeed, they will.'' Mr Rabbit affirms. ''But we are not paying this Skullasaurus anything!''

Mr Tigger bounds over to Signora Hearts and helps her up. ''There, now. These things do happen, all the time.''

The Signora screams. ''Oh, yes, these things do happen, all the time. For the past five years they have been happening, and you have done nothing to stop them, you have not been here, the previous manager has done nothing to stop them either. Well, no more! I! Am! Leaving! Immediately! I hope your new patrons like dancing girls, because I am not going to be singing! Come along!'' she gestures at her husband, and storms out. ''Amateurs!'' she calls as she leaves.

Nikiya laughs, and begins clapping. ''Never a dull moment with her. I shall miss that.'' Johanna tries not to laugh.

''Wonderful! Our star has just walked out! Madame Kanga, please tell me the Signora has an understudy.''

''She does not like an understudy.'' Madame Kanga says. ''There is none.''

''We shall have to cancel, TIgger! Cancel!'' he throws his hands up in the air.

Nikiya steps forward. ''Johanna Piglet could sing the role, sir.''


	2. Performance

Johanna gasps, shakes her head. ''Nikiya.'' she whispers. Nikiya pays her no attention. 

''The dancer?'' Mr Rabbit frowns.

''Why, she's been taking lessons from a wonderful tutor! She could sing it for you! She has a lovely voice. I know, I've heard her.''

''Piglet? The name's quite familiar.'' Mr Rabbit says in reply. ''Wasn't there a pianist by that name decades ago? William Piglet?''

Johanna smiles now. ''He was my grandfather, sir. I loved him very much.''

''Let her sing, sirs. I don't think she will disappoint you.'' Nikiya assures. She squeezes Johanna's hand. ''Good luck.''

Johanna steps forward, heads to the center of the stage. She takes a deep breath, and begins to sing the first part. 

_Here comes a wave meant to wash me away, a tide that is taking me under._

_Swallowed in sand, left with nothing to say, my voice drowned out in the thunder._

_But I won't cry, and I won't start to tremble,_

_Whenever they try to shut me down._

Her voice is different from Signora Hearts, softer, and far more beautiful. While the Signora belts out her lines and makes people want to cover their ears, even on arias or duets or quartets where the soprano's voice is supposed to be low.

Johanna Piglet brings the beauty back to the role of Princess Jasmina. 

_I won't stay silent, not when they want to keep me quiet._

_All I know, is I won't go speechless._

She finishes the first half of the song, looks at the managers. _Did they like it?_ she thinks. _Oh, please tell me they did!_

''Miss Piglet, I would advise that you go to the dressing room Signora Hearts has just evacuated, and change into your costume there. Miss Roo, please aid her.'' Johanna gasps in delight, and she hurries off with Nikiya to change into her costume. 

XXX

  
The costume is deep turquoise blue with an off-shoulder neck and peacock feathers embroidered on the edge of the harem pants,and her pale rose hair gathered in bunches with twisted silk cords the same color as the costume. There is a blue headband covered with jewels across her head, as well. Johanna feels so pretty!

''Do you think they will like it?'' she wonders.

''They ought to. It's what they paid for.'' Nikiya says.

**XXX**

Edward Winnie-the-Pooh Bear, Pooh for short, is curious about the replacement of the soprano, and feels that he has heard the name Johanna Piglet before. 

''What do you think, Christopher?'' he asks his elder brother. 

''I think we shall have to wait and see, Pooh.'' 

So they sit in Box Five-the very box that the Skullasaurus has asked for, unbeknownst to them- and the curtains open. 

Edward has seen this opera several times, and has little interest in it. 

Of course, when the Princess begins to sing her aria about how she wishes to be free-that is another matter entirely. Edward leans forward, holds his opera-glasses to his face. He knows that girl, knows that voice, has heard that voice, would know that rose-pink hair anywhere- ''It can't be!'' he exclaims. ''Christopher, it's Johanna! Don't you remember?''

''Oh, of course, I do, Pooh. I was just waiting to see if you did.'' 

Edward is overjoyed, springs to his feet, and claps very, very loudly. ''Brava!'' he calls. ''Brava!''


	3. The Dressing-Room.

When Johanna has finished, she sinks into a curtsey. They like it, they really like her! Her grandfather must be so proud of her.

The curtains close after everyone has taken their bows, and all the ballerinas come rushing up to her, exclaiming how well she did. ''I think the managers will ask you to marry them. You've done well.'' Miss Liddell says, in her sweet way. Johanna laughs. 

''I do hope not!''

Madame Kanga interrupts, and shoos the ballerinas away from Johanna. ''Now, now, girls. Shouldn't you go and practice? I believe I saw a few mistakes during the performance.'' The girls scurry off. All except Nikiya. 

She wants to congratulate her friend on the wonderful achievement, but Johanna has wandered off to a corner, and Nikiya follows her. 

''Johanna.'' she says. ''Johanna.'' The aforementioned Johanna does not answer, being lost in thought. Nikiya steps closer, more boldly, and tugs at the small sleeve of Johanna's costume. ''Johanna!'' 

Her friend starts, and Nikiya continues, ''What a performance! You were perfect, really!'' 

''Thank you, Nikiya.'' 

''Who taught you? Who is this teacher that has taught our dear Johanna how to sing like a mermaid, no, an angel?'' she clasps Johanna's hands in her own. ''Do tell me!''

''My dear grandfather used to speak of a creature, one that sang like an angel...he said that he would send it to me when he was gone...'' Johanna says, her sentences trailing off. ''Do you know, I can hear him even now, and I can feel him here...'' she taps a hand to her head.

''That's very nice, Johanna, but you ought to go to your dressing room, and change. There's no one here but us.'' Nikiya says, sensibly. Then they hear it, both of them. _''Johanna.''_

Instantly, Johanna's face pales, and she clutches Nikiya's hand tightly. A little too tightly. ''He's here, I know it.'' Her face pales even more. 

''Johanna, it's alright. Don't be frightened.'' she reassures her friend. She wraps her other hand around Johanna's arm, and walks her to her dressing room. ''Here we are. I'll help you.''

She opens the door, closes it behind her after they have gone in. She begins to unfasten the clasps at the back of the bodice, and Johanna removes the rest, slipping on a ruffled pink wrapper over her flesh-colored slip. 

''Nikiya!'' Madame Kanga opens the door, looking just a bit annoyed. ''Are you a ballerina?''

''Yes, Mama.''

''Then go and practice with the others!'' Madame Kanga scolds. Nikiya promptly hurries out the door to rejoin the others. 

Madame Kanga comes and lays a hand on Johanna's shoulder. ''You did very well. I think that **he** is pleased with you.'' Johanna clasps her hands. 

''Wonderful!'' she smiles. Noticing a letter in Madame Kanga's hand, she asks who it is for. 

''You, dear. Someone asked me to give this to you.''

She smiles kindly, and leaves the room. Johanna removes the tiara from her hair, and unfolds the letter. It reads as follows:

_A green scarf. Or was it a purple one? The garden. Little Jo._

It is a short letter, and Johanna cannot make head nor tail sense of it. 

**XXX**

Edward clutches his hat in his hand. What if she doesn't remember him? He hopes she does. He raises a hand to knock at the door. Pauses. And knocks.

''Come in.'' a voice-her voice-calls, and he opens the door, stepping inside.

He shuts the door behind him. 

Johanna looks up, puzzled, and looks down again. ''Johanna Piglet, where is your green scarf?''

She looks up curiously. ''Sir?''

The golden-haired young man looks worried. ''Oh, bother, you can't have lost it. Not after all the trouble I took. I was only fourteen, and my brother Christopher worried tremd-trema-''

''Tremendously.'' Johanna corrects. 

''Tremendously that I would get sick, for I was soaked to the skin-''

''Because you had run into the sea to fetch my scarf. Why, Pooh, it is you!''

''Johanna!'' he laughs and she stands to embrace him. ''You've grown.''

Johanna smiles. ''So have you, Pooh.'' 

''You remembered!'' 

''Of course. How could I not?'' Johanna pulls away, wraps her dressing gown a little tighter. She's no longer that little girl who left her rosy hair unbound, who wore the same pink striped dress all the time, lengthening it as she grew with extra fabric. She's a young woman, a lovely one, as lovely as that glass-slipper wearing girl who married the prince of Mirelind. 

He coughs, and says, ''Out of all the ballets you've performed, which is your favorite?''

''Oh, that would be The Worn-Out Shoes. I played the fourth princess, two years ago. It was wonderful.'' she relates. 

Edward smiles, seeing her so happy. He wants to take her to dinner, but he can't think of an appropriate way to broach the subject.

''Do you remember all the happy times we had together in my grandfather's garden?'' she asks. 

Of course he does. Her grandfather told the most wonderful stories, and he played so beautifully on the violin. ''Little Jo. That's what I called you then.''

''You can still call me that if you like.''

''But you're not little anymore! You're a girl! And I'm a man!'' he says. ''And society has such non-understandable rules about what we should be doing!''

Johanna glances at her clock. ''Would you like to go to dinner, Edward?''

Edward wants to fall over. She has asked him to dinner- ''Yes!'' he exclaims. ''Dinner is one of my seven favorite meals of the day! Christopher will be so happy to see you!''

''Wonderful. I'll be ready in five minutes.'' she hugs him again, and he leaves the room, absolutely happy and overjoyed. 

Johanna turns, heads to the wardrobe, selects a ruffled pink organdy gown with a long darker sash, and begins to change.

And all the while, the Skullasaurus watches from behind the mirror. _Time to interrupt,_ he thinks. _I will not have anyone, especially this boy, ruining my plans._

Johanna closes the back of her dress as best she can, without assistance, and ties the sash around her waist. Then she takes a brush and brushes out her hair, ties a pink organdy ribbon in it, and drops a curtsey to the mirror, turning to go.

''Johanna.'' a voice says from the mirror.

She turns around, frightened. 

''Angel?'' she asks, for that is what he has told her to call him.

''Insolent boy.'' the voice growls.

Johanna stands up straight. ''He is not insolent. Pooh is a good boy. I asked him to dinner, he did not ask me!''

''Still, how dare he!'' the voice says, deep, raspy. ''He should not. Your success belongs to me!''

''My success belongs to me, too.'' says Johanna. ''I practiced, to make my voice beautiful. I practiced, for my grandfather had sent you, and I wanted to please you.''

The voice beckons her, but she turns and walks to the door.

''Come here.'' the voice's tone changes, becoming gentle and coaxing. Johanna is drawn back, turns towards the mirror. She reaches out a hand. To touch the surface, perhaps, and finds that the mirror is slowly opening, revealing a cloaked figure.

Johanna reaches out, wondering dimly if this is the creature her grandfather told her about in his stories, and the figure pulls her through.

When Edward comes to fetch Johanna for dinner, he finds her gone.


	4. The Phantom's Lair, part 1.

Johanna is frightened as the tall cloaked figure leads her down a long, winding set of stairs. She is so very frightened. Why has he done this, now? Just when she was looking forward to dinner with Edward!

''Stop,'' she says, ''Please, let us go back.''

The figure, her Angel, shakes his head. ''No, he will not miss you.'' She would pull her hand free, but his grip is too tight. 

The stairs wind down, down, down, to a hallway, where he leads her to a lake-an underground lake! Is such a thing possible?-and there is a boat there, rocking gently. 

''Step in.'' he says. Johanna lifts up the skirts of her pretty pink dress, lifts up her foot, and steps in. The other foot follows, and she sits down. The boat wobbles, and he steps in, picking up a long pole. His face is covered by a hood. Why does he wear the hood over his face, when she has never seen him? 

''Will you not remove the hood?'' she asks. 

He turns to look at her. His face is covered by a mask, white and looking to be carved out of bone. ''No.'' he says, still in that low, raspy speaking voice. So different from Edward's. Edward's speaking voice-well, regular voice, she has never heard him sing- is warm, gentle, like the honey that is his favorite food.

Johanna turns her face away to look at their surroundings. They are surrounded by figures carved into the walls of stone, figures of skeletons with horns and crowns, holding staffs that are set with lighted torches. It is like one of those horrid novels.

She draws her feet in a little closer, but not enough to topple the boat. Slowly, as the boat turns the corner, Johanna sees a jumble of objects-a home, she realizes, underground. He lives here? But then, he is no Angel. She has always thought- but then again, would an Angel grip her hand so tightly?

He steps out of the boat. ''Sing for me.'' he says. No, demands. She opens her mouth, breaking into a lyrical aria from the operetta The Princess and the Pauper, by American female composer Miss Roberts. 

''Sing.'' he demands, ''Sing.'' Johanna sings till her throat hurts and she stops, raising a hand to her throat. 

''Do not ask me to do that again.'' she pleads. He nods, walks over to his pianoforte. It is a large instrument, she notices. He lifts his hands, and begins to play.

He plays the instrument beautifully, Johanna thinks. He is a wonderful musician, her teacher.

But she is still so scared!

She cannot help it, really! It is so dark, and she has always hated the dark.


	5. The Phantom's Lair, part 2.

He sings to Johanna, too. Not just playing music, singing as well. He sings to her of his world, his music, the music he writes, and Johanna feels- no, wants to run into his arms and embrace him as if they were in a romance novel.

Good heavens, what is wrong with her?

This is not a romance novel!

Johanna shakes her head. Tries to snap herself out of it. 

He comes over to her, takes her hand. Johanna trembles in fear. Still, he sings.

When he is done, he guides her over to a statue in the corner. 

Johanna wants to scream when she sees it. It is a mannequin. Of herself. In a wedding dress. 

She faints.


End file.
